Non-tip off launcher



Jan. 7, 1958 c. J. KOEPER NON-TIP OFF LAUNCHER Filed April 24, 1952 mm(N E E T WK MA u P Q e A c M NON-TIP one LAUNCHER Casper J. Keeper,Huntsville, Ala., assignor to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary of the Army The invention described in thespecification and claims may be manufactured and used by or for theGovernment for governmental purposes without any payment of any royaltythereon.

The present invention relates to launchers for rockets and moreparticularly to a rocket launcher in which the launching rail isconstructed and arranged to simultaneously release front and rearbourrelets supporting the rocket on the launcher, upon commencement ofthe flight of the rocket.

One of the contributing causes of dispersion of a rocket is thedeflection imparted to the rocket during burning by the tipping off ofthe rocket as it commences its free flight. In prior art rocketlaunchers in the time interval during which the rocket is not quiteclear of the launcher, the rear end of the rocket is still supported bythe launcher when the center of gravity has passed the end of thelauncher, and is no longer supported. The center of gravity starts tofall under the influence of gravitational forces causing a deflection inthe rocket, and also giving to the rocket a transverse angular momentum,which results in additional deflection, until the forces ofstabilization stop this yawing action.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a rocketlauncher which will eliminate this objectionable tip off phenomenon.

It is also a further object of this invention to provide the combinationof a rocket having front and rear bourrelets with a rail type launcherwhich is designed so that the front bourrelet leaves a first section ofthe launcher, which comprises two parallel rails, and is picked up by asecond single rail extension of the first rail portion, for theremainder of its travel on the launcher.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent as thefollowing specification develops, reference is made to the followingdrawing, which forms a part of the specification and wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the launcher including the Supportstherefor.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the launcher showing a rocketin its initial position, and in a position (dotted figure) unsupported,as the front and rear bourrelets leave their respective launchersurfaces.

Figure 3 is a transverse section through the launcher and rocket showingthe rocket in position with respect to the front and rear bourrelets.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line 44 of 'Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail of the rear bourrelet portion securedto the fin assembly of the launcher.

Referring to the drawing, wherein the same reference characters havebeen used to indicate the same parts in the several figures, 1designates a rail type launcher, the main portion of which istrapezoidal in cross section and is made of built up steel platecomprising a lower flat plate 2, upper flat plate 3 and upwardlyinclined side plates 4 and 5, all welded together in the well knownmanner. Secured to the top plate 3, or made integral therewith, and

r 2,818,779 liatented Jan. 7, 1958 disposed in parallel spaced relationare longitudinal rails 6, 7 comprising substantially thick verticallyupstanding parallel web portions 6a and 7a and upwardly and outwardlydirected flanged portions 8 and 9, each of which engages portions of therear bourrelet of the rocket in a manner to be described.

Double rails 6 and 7' end a substantial distance short of the forwardend of the launcher, and are replaced by a single rail It) for theremaining extent of the launcher. Single rail 10 is a solid upstandingboss portion, having a transverse width slightly smaller than thehorizontal dis tance between the inner edges of parallel webs 6a and 7a,a lower flat surfaces 11 welded to top plate 3, and an upper curvedsurface 12 for contacting the outer periphery of the front bourrelet ofthe rocket. The upper curved surface of the single rail is located belowthe uppermost surface of the upwardly and outwardly directed portions 8and 9 of the parallel double rail, and the arrangement of these surfacesbears a specific relationship to each other and to the engaged surfacesof the front and rear bourrelets of the rocket. The specificrelationship will be described in greater detail in connection with thedescription of the rocket.

The single rail extends rearwardly a short distance between the webs 6aand 7a of the double rails and is rearwardly and downwardly curved as at13 (see Fig. 4) from the maximum height of surface 12 to zero as itmerges with the fiat surface of plate 3 so that the front bourrelet ofthe rocket will gradually ease into and engage the forward rail as therocket proceeds up the launcher.

Any convenient type of support may be provided for the launcher, and inthe exemplification shown (see Fig. 1) the support comprises a flat baseplate 19 which may be secured on the flat surface of a vehicle or whichmay rest upon a level portion of the ground. Base plate 19 has a centralcircular portion 26 which is centrally pivotally connected with plate 19and which is provided with diametrically opposed upstanding bosses 21and 22 to form bearings for a rod 23 journaled therein and secured tothe underside of plate 2 of the launcher. This support enables anoperator to rotate the launcher to aim it in any direction, and toelevate the front end of the launcher in order to get the requiredlaunching angle for a rocket :to be fired. The launcher is also providedwith supporting legs 24 and 25 including ball and socket connections(not shown) secured to the lower flat plate of the launcherapproximately directly below the point where the single and double railsmeet. Legs 2 and 25 are made up of intussuscepted tubular pipe sectionstelescopically arranged so that the launcher inclination may be changedat will, and the lower ends of each leg have ball and socket connections26 and 27 with circular disc like foot pads 28 and 29 which may restupon the ground or be secured to the flat surface of a vehicle asdesired. When the legs are swung to their supporting positions, theyextend in diverging relation with respect to the connection to thelauncher, and a tension rod 39 having a turnbuckle arrangement 31 isprovided on the rod so that the legs may be fixed at any desired angle.Suitable gunners quadrants or other similar sighting bubbles (not shown)are also provided to aim the launcher.

The special purpose rocket 32 which is fired from the launcher of thisinvention comprises .a typical elongated shell 33 having a stabilizingfin assembly 34 secured about the tail end, and a forwardly taperingfront end 35. The rear bourrelet is formed as part of the fin assemblyand comprises segments 36 and 37 bolted on opposed sides of each fin, onthe inner radial end thereof. Each of the segments has outwardlydirected legs or flanges 3?- and 39 peripherally engaging the rocketshell and secured thereto as by welding, and radially outwardly spacedfrom the legs are outwardly directed fingers or bosses, 40 and 41,extending in a substantially normal direction to the flat face of eachfin. Two of these fingers are provided for each segment, one at the rearand one at the forward end thereof, and each finger is elongated withforwardly and rearwardly tapering points 42 and 43 (see Fig. The flanges38 and 39 form with fingers 40 and 41, notches or slots 42a and 43a intowhich are received the upwardly and outwardly directed flanges 8 and 9of the double rail, to guide the rocket in its forward motion up thelauncher.

The rocket is also provided with a forward bourrelet 44 which is acylindrical enlargement, encircling the shell of the rocket immediatelyrearwardly of the forward taper of the shell, and having a radialthickness, which, for convenience, may be designated as X inches, andwhich is adapted to be contacted by the curved surface 12 of the singlerail when the front bourrelet of the rocket has left the double rail.The flanges 38 and 39 of segments 36 and 37 also have a radial thicknessof X inches to present a smooth surface for contact with the doublerail, so that the rocket is cradled and supported in place on the doublerail by the forward and rear bourrelets as clearly seen in Figures 2 and3.

The launching rail structure is designed so that the distance Y betweenthe rear end of the fin assembly, and the rear edge of the forwardbourrelet is substantially the same as that length of the single railextending from the forward end of the double rail to the forwardmost endof the launcher. As the forward bourrelet leaves the double rail at Ydistance rearwardly from the muzzle end of the launcher, it is picked upby the single rail for the last Y feet of the rockets travel. The rearbourrelet segments are so spaced that they will rest on the double railbut will clear the single rail as the rocket travels up the launcher. Atthe moment the front and rear bourrelets simultaneously leave theirrespective rails, a clearance of X inches exists between the rocket bodyand the front rail, and it is only necessary to design the rocket sothat the gravity drop is less than the clearance provided, in order toinsure that the rocket is unsupported and in free flight at the momentthe rails are cleared.

For example a particular rocket was experimented with in which the frontbourrelet left the parallel rails approximately feet from the muzzle endof the launcher. This last 10 feet of travel resulted in a gravity dropof approximately 0.6 inch. A thickness of 0.75 inch was provided for thefront bourrelet thereby giving a clearance of 0.15 inch between therocket body and forward rail at the time the rocket cleared thelauncher.

The non-tip off feature could also be incorporated in a launcher thatwould guide the rocket by longitudinal slots in the launching rail.Studs attached to the rocket would ride in the launching rail slots, andthe slot for the last Y feet of travel would be wider so that a rearstud would clear the widened portion of the slot. At the time theforward stud would clear the muzzle end of the launcher, a smaller rearstud would simultaneously clear the widened launching slot, and therocket would be unsupported and in free flight.

Other modifications and alterations of the structure which has beendisclosed herein for purposes of illustration will be apparent to oneskilled in the art, and it is obvious that the same may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A non-tip ofi rocket launcher comprising an elongated built up steelsection having parallel upper and lower plates, a pair of elongatedparallel upstanding web members secured to said upper plate, each saidweb member having an upwardly and outwardly directed flange forming adouble rail, said double rail adapted to be received in notches providedin the fin section of a rocket supported on said launcher, said doublerail guiding the initial flight of said rocket, a single rail extensionof said double rail secured to said top plate, said single rail havingan upper curved surface disposed a short distance below the uppersurface of said double rail, and having a transverse width slightly lessthan the distance between the web members of said double rail, saidsingle rail adapted to be engaged only by a cylindrical bourreletencircling a rocket adjacent its forward end after said bourrelet hastraveled beyond the forward extremity of said double rail.

2. The combination in claim 1 wherein the horizontal distance betweenthe forward bourrelet and the rear extremity of a rocket to be launchedis approximately equal to the length of said single rail.

3 In combination with a fin stabilized projectile having a cylindricalring encircling said projectile adjacent the forward end thereof to forma bourrelet, and a fin assembly secured to the tail of said projectilehaving means thereon forming a rear bourrelet; a non-tip off projectilelauncher, means for supporting said launcher on an incline, saidlauncher comprising an elongated main body portion of built up steelplates having upper and lower parallel plates, a pair of elongatedparallel upstanding web members secured to said upper plate, each saidweb member having an outwardly and upwardly directed flange forming adouble rail adapted to be received in notches formed in said rearbourrelet to guide the initial flight of said projectile, a single railextension of said double rail having a transverse width less than thedistance between said parallel web members and an upper surface disposeda slight distance below the upper surface of said double rail, saidsingle rail adapted to be engaged by said forward bourrelet only aftersaid bourrelet has traveled beyond the forward extremity of said doublerail.

4. In a launcher for a rocket having a ring forming a bourrelet apredetermined distance forwardly of the rear end of the rocket andspaced guide supports adjacent the rear end thereof, a double railcomprising a pair of laterally spaced guide rails forming the rearportion of said rocket launcher adapted to engage said spaced guidesupports and said bourrelet, and a single rail extension of said doublerail, said single rail having a length equal to said predetermineddistance and a width less than the distance between said spaced guidesupports, said single rail being constructed and arranged to be engagedonly by said forward bourrelet after said forward bourrelet has traveledbeyond the forward extremity of said double rail.

5. In combination with a fin stabilized projectile having a cylindricalring encircling said projectile adjacent the forward end thereof to forma bourrelet, and a fin assembly secured to the tail of said projectilehaving means thereon forming a rear bourrelet; a non-tip-off projectilelauncher, means for supporting said launcher on an incline, saidlauncher comprising an elongated main body portion of built up plateshaving upper and lower parallel plates, a pair of elongated parallelupstanding web members secured to said upper plate, each said web memberhaving an outwardly and upwardly directed flange forming a double railadapted to be received in notches formed in said rear bourrelet to guidethe initial flight of said projectile, a single rail extension of saiddouble rail having a transverse width less than the distance betweensaid parallel web members and an upper surface disposed a slightdistance below the upper surface of said double rail, and adapted to beengaged by said forward bourrelet only after said bourrelet has beentraveled beyond the forward extremity of said double rail, thehorizontal distance between the rear extremity of said projectile andsaid forward bourrelet being approximately equal to the length of saidsingle rail extending beyond said double rail.

6. In a non-tip otf launcher, an elongated body portion including upperand lower flat parallel plates, a pair of longitudinal rails integralwith and disposed in parallel relation along the upper edges of saidupper plate, and having substantially thick, vertically upstanding webportions, said web portion defining upwardly and outwardly directedflanges adapted to engage portions of the rear bourrelet of a rocket,said rails terminating a substantial distance short of the forwardextremity of said launcher, and a single rail comprising a solidupstanding boss secured on the forward portion of the upper plate ofsaid launcher and having a transverse width slightly smaller than thehorizontal distance between the inner edges of said web portions of saidrails, and a curved upper surface disposed below the uppermost surfaceof said upwardly and outwardly directed portions of said rails, saidsingle rail extending rearwardly a short distance between said webportions of said rails and being rearwardly and downwardly curved at itsrearward portion to merge with said flat surface of said upper plate,the length of said single rail extending beyond the forward extremity ofsaid parallel rails being equal to the rear extremity of a rocket andits forward bourrelet.

7. In combination with a fin-stabilized projectile having a ringencircling said projectile adjacent the forward end, to form abourrelet, and segmental members secured to opposed sides of said finshaving formed therein, longitudinal slots; a projectile launchercomprising a main double rail portion for guiding said projectile in itsinitial flight, said double rail having upwardly and outwardly directedflanges adapted to be received in said slots, and a single railextending beyond the forward extremity of said double rail adapted to beengaged only by said forward bourrelet after said forward bourrelet hastraveled beyond the forward extremity of said double rail, thehorizontal distance between the rear extremity of said projectile andsaid forward bourrelet being equal to the length of said single railextending beyond the forward extremity of said double rail.

8. In combination with a rocket having front and rear bourrelets, anon-tip-off launcher having rear guide rail means and front guide railmeans, means rigidly connecting said front and rear guide rail means insequential alined relation, said rear guide rail means being constructedand arranged to engage said rear and front bourrelets to support saidrocket at the front and rear portions thereof, said front rail guidemeans being constructed and arranged to engage said front bourrelet tosupport the rocket at its front portion only thereof after said frontbourrelet has traveled beyond the forward extremity of said rear guiderails and having an effective length substantially equal to the distancebetween said front and rear bourrelets, said front and rear bourreletsbeing axially spaced to simultaneously disengage the front and rearguide rails respectively as said rocket commences free flight.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,478,774 Meinel Aug. 9, 1949 2,515,051 Lloyd July 11, 1950 2,549,778Crawley Apr. 24, 1951 2,550,072 Lindvall Apr. 24, 1951 2,604,014 Walkeret a1 July 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,088 Great Britain of 1892 25,326Great Britain of 1894 119,065 Great Britain Sept. 26, 1918 129,675 GreatBritain July 24, 1919 89,970 Sweden Aug. 10, 1937

